The power of the dark side is stronger than ever, as Darth Vader actor David Prowse’s collection sees high prices at a Bristol auction. Prowse recently died at age 85 in late 2020.
Some dedicated—and rich—soul bought Prowse’s prototype lightsaber for £9,000 at the UK auction. This marks a much higher price than the Bristol Auctions had expected it would go for. They had much less faith, with it expected to for somewhere between £80-£120.
One particular figure may find that lack of faith disturbing.
A Darth Vader helmet from David Prowse’s collection sold for £2,200, over five times the top expectation. Signed pictures of “Star Wars” actors also went for higher than expected prices. A signed picture of the late Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi went for three times the top expectation, at £3,100. The signed picture of Mark Hamill went for £15,000. Hamill signed the photo: “For David – You’ll Always Be ‘Dad’ Vader To Me.”
The highest selling item was David Prowse’s script for “The Empire Strikes Back,” the film fans consider to be the peak of the franchise. The script does not include the famous reveal of Vader being Luke’s father since it was kept secret to avoid the actors spoiling it. It went for a price of £23,000. Overall, hundreds of items in Prowse’s collection were sold to raise £400,000.
Taking place on “Star Wars Day” or May 4th (aka “May the Fourth Be With You”), a portion of the proceeds went to aid Alzheimer’s Research UK, which helps research a disease that Prowse himself lived with for over a decade before passing away.
It’s no surprise David Prowse’s collection was able to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds. After all, he embodied perhaps the most iconic character to ever grace the big screen. Though James Earl Jones provided his iconic voice, Prowse’s physicality was just as important. Prowse’s presence made Darth Vader one of the greatest villains of all time.
